We say ‘crawfish’ in the Deep South. Here’s how it’s pronounced across the US.
Did you know there are many different ways to say crawfish?
And spoiler alert – they’re all most likely correct.
How you say the word “crawfish” depends on where you live in the U.S.
If you live in the Deep South, including in cities like Biloxi and New Orleans, you say crawfish.
In northern parts of the United States, people call them crayfish. In northern California and parts of the East Coast, the word is crawdad.
Here in Southern Mississippi, crawfish is a way of life and springtime marks the start of crawfish boils and the delicacy being offered in various ways at Coast restaurants.
It feels wrong to call the mudbugs anything but crawfish, but others would disagree. How do you say crawfish where you live, and what’s your favorite way to eat them? Email me and let me know at jmitchell@mcclatchy.com.
This story was originally published April 11, 2023 at 8:00 AM.
